Thread: Luke's GTP

weird how both ours are a 2000, yet my cowl is a 2 piece

That 1 piece made for a lot of extra work mann. Had to re-seal the whole thing too, all the way across. Used some Permatex Gasketmaker I had laying around... called it good, a little messy. With the wiper arms off, I have an opportunity to sand and spray them. So there's that. We'll see how it all held up in today's rain. Gasketmaker had like 15hrs to cure.

Haven't been working on the car too much lately. Honestly, waiting for the Black Friday sales and hoping to save 30-50%. Got my eye on a few things:
1. Bulbs for all interior lights - Diode Dynamics
2. Both O2 sensors and cat'd down pipe - Rock Auto
3. 40 more sqft. of the insulation - SecondSkin
4. All 3 fuel lines - Lines-To-Go (constructed from Galfan...? what's that)
http://www.linestogo.com/pontiac-gra...-fl254-d9-set/

I have been doing little things. Took off the door panels and cleaned them. Put in nice new yellow door clips and started applying the insulation to the panels but ran out. Also sealed the tops of the doors using the method from pontiacbonevilleclub. See link below. Worked out great. Really hugs the edge of the door!
http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com...opic48808.html

Nice and tight:


Left door needs more insulation and clips:


For those maybe interested in doing this, below is a photo of the bead of adhesive running down the spine of this door guard. It's like a gelatin that's sticky as hell and helps with the fastening:

Good deal on those fuel lines

Got all the goodies I ordered on Black Friday. Not my exact wishlist, but almost: Fuel Lines, Wiper Arms, SecondSkin Damplifier. I can now finish up insulating the car, and finish insulating the door panels. Got a box of new door pins as well. I was gonna sand and repaint the wiper arms but forget that. Other then being worn down looking, the plumbing on them sucked, so for about $16ea. on RockAuto, why not buy new ones? Fuel lines came all the way from New Brunswick, free shipping too. RockAuto wanted $55 for shipping... pshhhh

I was gonna take the fuel lines to a shop to get installed but I'm thinking that doesn't get much approval around here. They are just plug and play, right? Any pointers are appreciated.

I had those wiper arms and they start to rust pretty quickly I was pissed. Might want to paint them with some black restolium anyways.

Fuel line wise
1. tape all ends tight so NOTHING gets inside
2. Under neath the car is pretty straight forward and easy as hell to do, the bend area by the firewall gets tricky. Im talking twisting turning the line every which way and it still wont go 100% in, but will once you revert back to test #2 after you tried it 30 other ways. I found it easiest to feed the flex line up first and try to get the rest to follow, now if you want to remove some parts, strut, axle, anything else you deem fit I bet it would be alot easier to snake it in

Originally Posted by Swiggles

I had those wiper arms and they start to rust pretty quickly I was pissed. Might want to paint them with some black restolium anyways.

Thanks for the tip! Definitely not looking to buy another pair anytime soon. I'll spray them down a couple of times.

Originally Posted by ItHurtz

Im talking twisting turning the line every which way and it still wont go 100% in, but will once you revert back to test #2 after you tried it 30 other ways.

LOL! It's going to be a frustrating few hours of trial and error. I'll try snaking them through the bottom like you said, hopefully the bends are accurate. They will be getting replaced soon, between today and Christmas... there's time to watch a few videos.

Well.... took the old girl in for some hibernation. With all the cold and snow if the forecast, there is no way I am wrenching anything, anytime soon. We got about 6-7 inches last weekend, and then arctic air. The forecast for this weekend calls for another 6-7 inches and wind-chills at -15 to-25 below. No reason to punish myself and work outside. Also, with the holidays approaching, I'm not likely to find anytime to work on it anyway. This all started working curb-side in the city, then moved it to the back of my sisters store. Did a lot of work on it there and that's where it has sat. But with winter here I wanted to move it somewhere more hospitable. Luckily, my mom has a nice place with a heated basement garage. She has 2 spots and only 1 car, so the GTP will rest in the second spot until the weather breaks and I have more time. Good ol' mom. Always coming through.

Back of sisters store. Drivers side is on ramps. Covered in snow:




In its new resting spot. Till it's at least 30*+ outside:

All that love and care your almost expected to restore it!

Originally Posted by ItHurtz

All that love and care your almost expected to restore it!

I'm not happy having to put it away. Sucks not being able to work on it. But this cold weather. No Bueno

Here's a video of me trying to start it... This was about 10pm, temp outside was 5*F. Took 3 cranks. Something screeetching like a dead animal about 10-15 seconds after it's already started.

https://youtu.be/p05O8szjG64

That smoke you're talking about during start up, betcha its just the valve guide seals. VERY common on these, I had to do them on my car @ 203K.


Nice job so far, keep it up!

Hey man, just now read thru your emo resto thread. lol. You have an admirable amount of dedication to the ole girl, RESPECT! Couple things I noticed : 12"x24"= 2 sq.ft. so times 14 sheets = 28 sq.ft. Maybe that's why you're coming up short on your Damplifier/Second Skin? And that little roller looks exactly like a "wallpaper seam roller" I think they seen you coming if they charged $17 for it. Anyway, I'm looking forward to following your progress, and Good Luck! Second thought, in your LIM pix, your coolant elbows look to have a smear of sealant of some kind, I hope you've swapped those out? Rock On.....E

Originally Posted by GTPkirmet

That smoke you're talking about during start up, betcha its just the valve guide seals. VERY common on these, I had to do them on my car @ 203K. Nice job so far, keep it up!

Thanks man!! Hope to have her back on the road this spring. And I think you're right. It's not eating coolant so it must be oil. I want to change out to valve guides for sure. If I do those, I should put in some 1.9's at the same time. Looking to complete both of those jobs at the same time...soon enough!

Originally Posted by cheatah faheatah

Hey man, just now read thru your emo resto thread. lol. You have an admirable amount of dedication to the ole girl, RESPECT! Couple things I noticed : 12"x24"= 2 sq.ft. so times 14 sheets = 28 sq.ft. Maybe that's why you're coming up short on your Damplifier/Second Skin? And that little roller looks exactly like a "wallpaper seam roller" I think they seen you coming if they charged $17 for it. Anyway, I'm looking forward to following your progress, and Good Luck! Second thought, in your LIM pix, your coolant elbows look to have a smear of sealant of some kind, I hope you've swapped those out? Rock On.....E

Hey man! Thanks for the Respect. It's not cheap or easy keeping these cars road worthy. SO you say it's an "emo rebuild thread"? LOL. I'll take that to mean overly wordy, somewhat sentimental, and sadly optimistic. HA. The damplifier situation is legit. It is 20 sheets, totaling 40sq.ft. I'm must have typed it wrong earlier. If you figure one door is 2'x3', that is 6sq.ft. If you do the plastic panel side and the metal door side, you're looking at 12sq.ft right there. Plus or minus and little. Anyway, it goes fast. Takes forever to apply too, like 3-4 hours per panel. I'm not buying anymore, 80sq.ft. should do. It's expensive with shipping. That roller was tough to buy at that price, but I'm glad I did. Really. I have applied an incredible amount of pressure on that roller and nothing, like new. Not sure the other rollers are as tough. And yes, that is an ugly smear of RTV on that new elbow. I was worried about leaks, so I over did it. It will stay like that, nobody can see it.

Just the right amount of "wordy" I think ( details are good ). Nothing wrong with sentimental. Sadly optimistic? You love that car, and love to wrench on it...that's fine too. BTW you're far more ambitious than I am, the way you tore the guts out of the interior...WOW. Impressive. Ugly smear on elbows? = insurance/ peace of mind...great. I just thought that was someone else's work that you might not have noticed. I occasionally overkill things too...Well not much to do but wait for spring or the random half warm day/weekend....Here's hoping...Keep dreaming...and keep up the good work. P.S. In some of your photos, the front fenders look a little darker than the doors? Did some on in the family catch a light hit that required repainting either/or nose/doors ?

Originally Posted by cheatah faheatah

In some of your photos, the front fenders look a little darker than the doors? Did some on in the family catch a light hit that required repainting either/or nose/doors ?

You're the first to say something about that discoloration. The car was in a really bad accident when my dad still owned it. Some idiot ran a red light and my dad T-boned him at like 50mph. The front passenger side of the GTP was just gone, even the apron got damaged. It was destined for the scrap yard but my dad found someone that was willing to fix it. They did a ****ty job on the paint. Paint was running in some spots and dried like that, and clearly a bad color match was done. But, she lives on with more miles then most, and looking better then most. After I get new rear strut towers welded in and new rockers, I will get her painted, same color. Got a guy lined up for the welding but need to do fuel and brake lines first. Ohhhh..., and I need da cash.

We ALL need the ca$h, Brotha' !!!...lol. That discoloration caught my eye only because....Back in 1988 in bought a used '83 Bronco 4WD [ 6" lift, 33" tires, 2 shocks per wheel in the front ] looked real nice ! Then one day someone showed me a picture they had taken ( you know with a camera that's not a phone too, with plastic "film" inside that you mail away and get "developed " onto what they called "paper" ?? ) and the nose was different from the doors. Never noticed that before, but it really only showed on when" photographed" Does anybody use that word anymore??? So it's prolly not that bad in person. Hope everyone was OK from the crash tho... Oh, and you're waiting on warmer weather too, like me..?

Originally Posted by cheatah faheatah

Oh, and you're waiting on warmer weather too, like me..?

The warm weather never really came... So, like many dad's before me, I packed up the car, and wife and kids, and went on vacation. Drove from Chicago to Key West, almost the entire height of the country, some 3,500 miles total, round trip. We split the driving duties. Spent some $300+ in gas which isn't much.

Before kids and wife, I did some serious road trips in my then 2001 Accord Coupe. One time, in 2009, I drove from Las Vegas to Chicago, straight, non-stop, no sleeping. Running on Coca-Cola and Twix. One buddy didn't have a license, the other was deathly ill. It was 30hrs of non-stop driving. Stopped only for gas and once for McDonald's, which we ate in the car. lol. Anyone beating 30hrs?

Ever since watching True Lies as a kid, I had wanted to cruise this stretch of highway. Built on the the ocean:


Ford Barnacle:


Leaving Key West:


Temp. difference when leaving Orlando, and then Chicago:

NICE,...me jealous.... looks like you got out of FLA just in time...shooter. Can't beat 30 hrs....Once did Pensacola, Fla to R.I. , 3 guys (all of us unemployed), 22 hrs (in a 15 yr old Toyota station wagon) , eating cold mac & cheese out of gallon size Ziploc baggies... Ahhh to be 22 again...the good ole days.

Weather wasn't too bad today so I got some wrenching in. Started on getting the old fuel lines out. I read a thread on here earlier this week where someone said to use the cap from a Sharpie to disconnect the fuel lines. I remebered that, tried it, and it worked, kinda. The cap proved to be too flimsy, so I ended up cutting the Sharpie marker apart, then used the gray plastic part of it. Worked great. After that lucky break, I was pretty much stuck. Two of the three fuel line connectors were seized and would not budge. I tried tapping them, spraying them, going ape on them, and nothing. I'm thinking I will have to cut the Nylon lines and buy a fix-kit. The place I got my fuel lines from sells a kit. Not sure though...

Link to kit:
http://www.linestogo.com/nylon-line-...FdgMgQodmAYEaA

Any thought's or suggestions about loosening seized plastic?


My home made ramp:


Took this photo a little later. Got dark on me fast:


Sharpie releasing the smaller fuel line:


For the larger fuel line, I doubled-up the cap and the gray piece to make it thicker. Worked like a charm:


Good amount of gas leaked from the fuel filter line. I caught some, some did spill though :/


Top line is Return Line, fitting is seized and line is rusted solid. Middle is EVAP, also seized/rusted. Only the fuel filter fitting came off. Gonna have to snip:


Found another brake fluid leak. Turned it a steady trickle after I got done trying to loosen the fuel lines. Black lines are the Nylon fuel lines running to the pump, the thin metal lines are the rusted out brake lines. Nasty stuff: